If you own a car, it’s bound to happen at some point. Chips, scrapes, dents, cracks, and shatters are part of driving. All it takes is a small piece of debris and your car’s speed and before you know it, you’ve got auto glass damage. Today, we’re going to walk you through the 3 most common causes of auto glass damage so you can do your best to avoid it and keep your windows pristine.
#1: Debris
When you’re driving at high speeds, small items can become a big problem. Rocks, sticks, litter, and other common road debris can cause chips in your windshield. If the auto glass damage isn’t fixed immediately, the problem could grow into a crack or shatter. There’s not much you can do to avoid road debris since most of it strikes your windshield before you’re aware of it, but the best prevention you can do is to fix small cracks and chips as soon as you notice them to save yourself a lot of money.
#2: Poor Glass Repair
Ironically, one of the main causes of glass damage is recent glass repair that was done poorly.
Not all auto glass technicians are created alike. If you go to an unreliable glass repair service, they may cut corners in your installation by using cheap glass and rushing through the process. This can leave you with a weaker structural frame that will lead to cracks that start at the edges of the glass and work their way inward.
Thankfully, this is an issue you can avoid, if you plan ahead. It’s absolutely vital to do your research on your glass repair specialist and find the service you can trust. After all, glass is a major component in your car’s safety, and you shouldn’t take shortcuts.
#3: Intense Weather
Weather conditions make driving difficult, but weather is just as tough on your car, and your vehicle’s glass is no exception. Water can seep into the seams of newly installed glass, loosening the adhesive and putting stress on the rest of the structure. This can result in gaps between the frame and the glass, or even cracks as the glass struggles to stay in place.
Wind can also knock down loose branches and other debris, and the wind and rain can cause other minor damage in your windshield to spread. Of course, there are other wind conditions like hail and sleet that can cause severe damage to not only your glass, but your whole car.
Intense weather isn’t always avoidable, but if you can, stay inside in rough weather conditions to protect yourself and your car’s glass.
You’re not always going to be able to escape auto glass damage, but knowing some of the most common causes will help inform your decisions every time you go for a drive.
If you’re ever in need, we’ve got a team of experts ready to come to you and fix or replace any sort of auto glass damage. We’ll make sure to do it right too, so you won’t have to worry about any additional damage to your glass. Just give us a call.